Arrests made in Medford storage unit thefts

A Cave Junction man and Grants Pass woman are suspected of renting a storage unit in Medford to obtain an access code to the facility and steal property from other units.

By RYAN PFEIL

A Cave Junction man and Grants Pass woman are suspected of renting a storage unit in Medford to obtain an access code to the facility and steal property from other units.

Matthew David Granger, 32, was being held Wednesday without bail in the Jackson County Jail on charges of first-degree aggravated theft and six counts of second-degree burglary. Josephine County Community Corrections officials say he was also wanted on a parole violation out of Lane County stemming from 2006 burglary charges. Amanda Harris, 24, of Grants Pass, was cited on first-degree theft charges and released.

"We believe the whole premise of her getting a unit at the storage facility was to facilitate a theft with the suspect," said Lt. Mike Budreau. "She knew what was going on."

Medford police first responded to a report of a break-in at Oak Grove Mini Storage, 241 Oak Grove Road, Medford, on Monday, Nov. 19. The business had been broken into three days prior. A 2006, 29-foot "Toy Hauler" travel trailer, valued at $16,000, was missing. Other missing property had an additional value of $2,500.

Granger allegedly used an access code to open the storage facility gate the night of the theft. Police said they traced that code — unique to every storage facility renter — to Harris. Harris had rented a storage unit at the facility the day before.

Investigators from Medford police and the Josephine County Sheriff's Department later tracked Granger to a home in the 6600 block of Westside Road in Cave Junction. Police said he fled the residence and was caught in some nearby woods. Police found a Noveski M4 rifle at the home that had been reported stolen by Grants Pass police Nov. 7.

The trailer was later recovered at a tavern in Selma. The additional $2,500 in property still has not been recovered, as several victims were not able to provide specific lists of all the stolen property.

"It's unlikely we're going to come across it at this point," Budreau said.

Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or by email at rpfeil@mailtribune.com.